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<p>I had a chance to attend the presentations by Alex and Evans to PPOA and I think they did a very good job articulating issues faced in Government ICT Procurement. In addition to procuring agents not following the law (e.g. mentioning brands in tenders) it also appears that they are not aware of International Best Practices such as those advocated by WITSA (<a href="http://www.witsa.org/papers/BestPracticesWhitePaper-final.pdf">http://www.witsa.org/papers/BestPracticesWhitePaper-final.pdf</a>). Those best practices are meant to ensure competition is not precluded. Maybe these IBPs require to be incorporated into the PPOA regulations. I reproduce a portion of the IBPs below:</p><h1 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center; tab-stops: 102.75pt" align="center"><font face="Arial" size="3">The Government ICT Procurement Process</font></h1><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif""><p>�</p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"">The procurement process consists of a number of steps: <p /></span></p><ul style="MARGIN-TOP: 0in" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: list .5in left 102.75pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"">Needs Definition / Requirements<p /></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: list .5in left 102.75pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"">Request for Information (RFI)<p /></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: list .5in left 102.75pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"">Request for Comments<p /></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: list .5in left 102.75pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"">Request for Proposal<p /></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: list .5in left 102.75pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"">Proposal<p /></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: list .5in left 102.75pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"">Live Test and Demonstration<p /></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: list .5in left 102.75pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"">Best and Final Offer<p /></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: list .5in left 102.75pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"">Award<p /></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: list .5in left 102.75pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"">Protest Procedures<p /></span></li></ul><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif""><p>�</p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"">Depending on the size and complexity of the procurement, a given acquisition may contain some or all of these stages. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes">�</span><p /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif""><p>�</p></span></p><h2 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in"><font face="Arial" size="3">Need</font></h2><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif""><p>�</p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"">The acquisition process begins with the recognition of a need by a governmental department for a capability or a service.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">� </span>This need must then be translated into a set of requirements so that eventually a Request for Proposal (RFP) may be issued.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">� </span>The scope of this effort is generally invisible to potential bidders.<p /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif""><p>�</p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><b><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"">Request for Information (RFI)</span></b><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif""><p /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif""><p>�</p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"">During this phase of the procurement, government actively pursues business input in the form of recommendations and presentations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">� </span>The input is generally solicited by the means of an RFI that describes the government�s needs and perceived requirements.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">� </span>If done in a manner other than an RFI, governments should be careful that their solicitation does not have the effect of precluding competition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">� </span>Business thus has the opportunity to better understand the requirements and the true needs of the end user.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">� </span>During this stage, communication is open, and both industry and the government are exploring needs and possible relevant technologies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">� </span>If it has not already done so, business is also beginning to assess potential partners. <p /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif""><p>�</p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif""><p>�</p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif""><p>�</p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><b><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"">Request for Comments (RFC)</span></b><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif""><p /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif""><p>�</p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"">An RFC on a draft Request for Proposals (RFP) is generally the next document that the government issues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">� </span>It is based on the input that the government has gathered during the RFI stage and is based on a refinement of their needs and available technologies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">� </span>Again, governments<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">� </span>should ensure that the RFC is issued in an open and transparent manner so that it does not have the effect of precluding competition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">� </span>In addition, if governments use a contractor to help in writing an RFC, or later the actual RFP, that contractor should be precluded from bidding either alone or as a partner in the actual procurement,<p /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif""><p>�</p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif""><span style="mso-spacerun: yes">�</span>Ideally the RFC is a complete document outlining not only the agency�s needs but also the proposed terms and conditions for the contract.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">�� </span>While it takes considerable effort for the governmental entity to produce a complete document at this stage, it ultimately saves considerable time and effort for both parties later on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">� </span>In addition, a complete document sends a signal to industry that the government is serious and that the acquisition is for �real�.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">� </span>Unavailability of information at this stage, and the inability to comment on it, often causes misunderstandings and delay later on in the procurement process.<p /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif""><p>�</p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><b><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"">Request for Proposal (RFP)</span></b><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif""><p /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif""><p>�</p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"">Ideally, the acquiring governmental entity will have indicated in the RFC a proposed schedule for the release of the RFP, and they will adhere to it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">� </span>As the proposed release date draws near, potential bidders will firm up bidding partners and will begin to staff their proposal efforts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">� </span>In order to keep ultimate costs down, government needs to adhere to their proposed timeframes because delays and/or extensions at this point become quite expensive for industry, and those costs are ultimately passed on to the government.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">� </span>It is important that governments allow ample time for firms to prepare their proposals and also take into consideration that foreign bidders may need additional time than would a national entity.<p /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif""><p>�</p></span></p><h2 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in"><font face="Arial" size="3">Proposal</font></h2><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif""><p>�</p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"">The proposal contains the bidder�s proposed technical solution, management approach, and cost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">� </span>Proposals usually contain very sensitive, and often confidential, commercial information.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">� </span>It is important that proposals be treated carefully by governments to insure that this sensitive information is not released to competitors.<p /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif""><p>�</p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"">While often delivery of the technical, management and cost proposals are requested simultaneously, government could save money, and often time, by requiring the cost proposal two to three weeks after the others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">� </span>Late changes by bidders to their technical proposals are often not adequately incorporated into the cost proposal causing later disagreements and delays.<p /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif""><p>�</p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"">As the government reviews the proposals, they may request clarifications or additional information from bidders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">� </span>Due to the sensitivity of interactions with bidders at this stage, it is important that this be done formally in writing and with good documentation maintained.<p /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif""><p>�</p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><b><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"">Live Test and Demonstration (LTD)</span></b><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif""><p /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif""><p>�</p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif""><span style="mso-spacerun: yes">�</span>On very large and/or complex procurements, the government may require that a Live Test and Demonstration or Operational Capability Demonstration (OCD) be performed to demonstrate and validate the proposed technologies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">� </span>Governments should provide bidders selected for an LTD as much time as possible to prepare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">� </span>Bidders must obtain appropriate space, bring in required hardware and equipment, assemble the right software and assemble staff for the LTD.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">� </span>LTDs and OCDs are very expensive efforts for the bidders and for the government that sometimes must assemble large, skilled evaluation teams.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">� </span>Thus they should be required sparingly and in very select situations.<p /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif""><p>�</p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><b><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"">Best and Final Offer (BAFO)</span></b><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif""><p /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif""><p>�</p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyTextIndent2" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US">Once the proposal has been submitted and the LTD, if required has been performed, bidders begin to finalize the prices from their vendors, subcontractors and bidding partners and to fine-tune their own costs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">� </span>The BAFO will also incorporate any changes indicated by the LTD and any clarifications that may have been requested from the government during their review of the technical and management proposal.<p /></span></p><p class="MsoBodyTextIndent2" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US"><p>�</p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyTextIndent2" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><b><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US">Award<p /></span></b></p><p class="MsoBodyTextIndent2" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><b><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US"><p>�</p></span></b></p><p class="MsoBodyTextIndent2" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US">The award process consists of informing the selected bidder of their success, and, more importantly, informing the losing bidders of the reasons they were not selected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">� </span>Being open and sensitive during this process is important and can help avoid later problems and protests.<p /></span></p><p class="MsoBodyTextIndent2" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US"><p>�</p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyTextIndent2" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US">Losing bidders want to understand in as much detail as possible areas where their proposals were deficient.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">� </span>Providing the information at this time will allow them to improve their processes for their next effort and also assures them that the process was transparent and fair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">� </span>If bidders feel information is being withheld, it raises their suspicions about the entire process and may lead to a formal Protest simply as a means of acquiring more information.<p /></span></p><p class="MsoBodyTextIndent2" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US"><p>�</p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyTextIndent2" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><b><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US">Protest</span></b><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US"><p /></span></p><p class="MsoBodyTextIndent2" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US"><p>�</p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyTextIndent2" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; tab-stops: 102.75pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US">A formal protest procedure to higher authority and ultimately to an independent authority is important to providing an open, accessible, fair, transparent and documented procurement process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">� </span>This provides an opportunity for bidders to be heard and to receive an explanation of why a given bid was turned down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">� </span>Protesting is a significant event that bidders do not take lightly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">� </span>The process is expensive for both the bidder and the government, ties up critical resources, and potentially negatively impacts the image of the bidder in the eyes of the government.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">� </span>However, an effective protest process will help maintain competition in current and future procurements.<p /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><p>�</p></p><p><p>�</p></p><pre>On Thu, 11 Sep 2008 01:57:15 -0700 (PDT), "wesley kiriinya" <kiriinya2000@yahoo.com> said:
</pre><blockquote class="QuoteMessage" type="cite"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top"><div>I think there are two things in this argument.</div><div>�</div><div>First when a company/gvmnt is buying the back end/base software e.g. a database/operating systems. I agree that "...procuring agents should not mention any�trade marks, companies or product names when requesting for quotations..."</div><div>�</div><div>Second when a company/gvmnt is buying middle level software that should operate with the back end software and in this case I think that the procuring agents should atleast mention what the back end software is. This is useful information to anyone willing to submit a quotation.</div><div>�</div><div>Regards.</div><div>8~)<br /><br /></div><div>�</div><div>�</div><div><font color="#00007f"><em>I don't want to go to Hell, I don't want to stay on Earth, but what I'm I going to do in Heaven.</em></font></div><br /><br />--- On <b>Wed, 9/10/08, Liko Agosta <i><likoa@verviant.com></i></b> wrote:<br /><blockquote style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: rgb(16,16,255) 2px solid">From: Liko Agosta <likoa@verviant.com><br />Subject: Re: [kictanet] Software procurement in kenya<br />To: kiriinya2000@yahoo.com<br />Cc: kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke<br />Date: Wednesday, September 10, 2008, 10:09 AM<br /><br /><pre>Evans ...
We are a services company that provides both Closed Source and Open Source
Consulting to clients ....
We build on what clients have already paid for...
We can discuss TCO ...
Liko Agosta, CEO
Verviant Consulting Services.
www.verviant.com
�
Phone��� : 1-919-341-1820
Fax����� : 1-978-268-8403
�
Toll Free: 1-866-551-4935
�
Pager: 9193891551@txt.att.net
-----Original Message-----
From: Evans Ikua [mailto:ikua@lpakenya.org]
Sent: Wednesday, September 10, 2008 2:48 AM
To: Liko Agosta
Cc: kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke
Subject: RE: [kictanet] Software procurement in kenya
Liko,
There is nothing wrong with the Law. It only needs to be followed. It
actually has very good intentions of making sure that all (technology)
suppliers get an equal opportunity to tender for a whatever it is.
Mind you, once the tenders have been received and opened, the client
is under no obligation to buy from anyone, not even the lowest price.
Our argument is this; say a ministry wants to buy a SQL DB Server.
They advertise this without mentioning MS SQL Server anywhere (that's
what the law says). You quote your SQL Server at KSh 5.6m (you are a
MS Gold Partner), and I quote my Open Source SQL server at 0.5m (I am
only selling my services and not licenses). The tendering committee
now has two options and the guys in IT can defend their choice of
technology, and the TCO that goes with it, all the way from having to
buy upgrade licenses a year later or so. Then the decision is made. At
this point, nobody can come and tell them that they must buy this or
that, its their decision. Important thing is that the management has
seen all the options available.
If this law is broken in your favour, I don't expect you to have a
problem with it. You are happy. No?
It is this that will raise management questions about the cost of
license upgrades vis a vis the cost of migrating to FOSS products. A
Ministry would save more by migrating to Scalix than upgrading to MS
Exchange in the long term. But how does the accounting officer get to
know this if the IT guy only requests a particular brand name, leaving
out everyone else? For public institutions that are running on our
taxes, we want to know that they are spending money prudently. They
cant be given a blank cheque.
--
Evans Ikua
Linux Professional Association of Kenya
Tel: +254-20-2250381, Cell: +254-722 955 831
Eagle House, 2nd Floor
Kimathi Street, Opp. Corner House
www.lpakenya.org
Quoting Liko Agosta <likoa@verviant.com>:
> Evans,
>
> That law should be changed :)
>
> If a government agency has already invested in some technology stack, they
> should have the right to say they want a solution that ran's on that
> technology stack ....lets says Microsoft SQL Server ..
>
> Why ... The license for SQL server will be a sunk cost at that point and
> getting different technology is making a bigger financial commitment and
> raising project risk .... also .. if the customers programmers/admins know
> C# and SQL Server or Websphere and DB2, the client has the right to pick
> that platform ...
>
> We have ran into this with our clients. Whenever we are doing project
> discovery, we will find out which technologies they currently have/support
> ... if a client has SQL Server, we will typical ask for usage reports for
> that SQL server box and in most cases, we have been able to save money by
> "adding to" their existing infrastructure ... or tuning their
existing
> infrastructure to take more load.
>
> Many organizations we have worked with tend to buy a servers/software
> licenses for each project ... we advice against this and are usually for
> consolidation and better management. That way a 4 CPU license for SQL
Server
> Enterprise Edition (approx USD 80,000) will be apportioned to the 20
systems
> or projects that will use a well tuned 4CPU SQL server ....
>
> So .. good intentions... bad law ... why enforce or spend time on it
>
> My 2 cents
>
> Liko Agosta, CEO
> Verviant Consulting Services.
>
> www.verviant.com
> Phone : 1-919-341-1820
> Fax : 1-978-268-8403
> Toll Free: 1-866-551-4935
> Pager: 9193891551@txt.att.net
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: kictanet-bounces+likoa=verviant.com@lists.kictanet.or.ke
> [mailto:kictanet-bounces+likoa=verviant.com@lists.kictanet.or.ke] On
Behalf
> Of Evans Ikua
> Sent: Tuesday, September 09, 2008 1:34 PM
> To: Liko Agosta
> Cc: kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke
> Subject: [kictanet] Software procurement in kenya
>
> Interesting what Google can come up with:
>
>
http://www.linuxworld.com/news/2008/052308-kenya-linux-group-challenges-proc
> urement.html?fsrc=rss-linux-news
>
>
> We finally got to meet with the PPOA on Friday, 5th September. We had
> a very fruitful discussion on the Public Procurement and Disposal Act
> 2005, whose provisions are being ignored by Government procurement
> agents:
>
> https://ict-innovation.fossfa.net/taxonomy/blog-tags/kenya
>
> This good law stipulates that procuring agents should not mention any
> trade marks, companies or product names when requesting for
> quotations. They are required to just give the specs of what they need
> to accomplish. But how many times do we see these RFQs with brand
> names such as Microsoft *?. This has got to stop and nobody has any
> excuse to break the law with impunity.
>
> We will be putting details of the proceedings on our website soon, and
> also in the media.
>
>
> --
> Evans Ikua
> Linux Professional Association of Kenya
> Tel: +254-20-2250381, Cell: +254-722 955 831
> Eagle House, 2nd Floor
> Kimathi Street, Opp. Corner House
> www.lpakenya.org
>
>
>
>
>
>
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<pre>People make a plan work, a plan alone seldom makes people work (Confucius).
</pre>
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